Comments on: The summer of Australian culture, New Matilda (and new media) style http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/ Life, Culture and Politics from BrisVegas Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:11:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: barry http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-178004 barry Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:09:23 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-178004 I don't know that it's ever going to reach beyond a small niche directly, but it's interesting that alternative centres - including places like LP - are forming and injecting into the debate. For example, Margaret Simons is on twitter, and is picking up on issues as they occur, using that to feed back into Crikey (which is halfway between niche and mainstream now) - and then those stories are getting picked up in the mainstream media. I don’t know that it’s ever going to reach beyond a small niche directly, but it’s interesting that alternative centres – including places like LP – are forming and injecting into the debate.

For example, Margaret Simons is on twitter, and is picking up on issues as they occur, using that to feed back into Crikey (which is halfway between niche and mainstream now) – and then those stories are getting picked up in the mainstream media.

]]> By: Mark http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-178003 Mark Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:15:52 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-178003 I take your point, but I still wonder about the question I'm posing - how does the best of this stuff reach out beyond a small niche? As I said in the post, I'm sceptical of the argument that mainstream journalism ever conveyed much relevant about politics to teh masses. But surely there's got to be a way to do it better online? I take your point, but I still wonder about the question I’m posing – how does the best of this stuff reach out beyond a small niche? As I said in the post, I’m sceptical of the argument that mainstream journalism ever conveyed much relevant about politics to teh masses. But surely there’s got to be a way to do it better online?

]]> By: barry http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-178002 barry Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:43:28 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-178002 you're absolutely right, of course. No doubt some of these things will fail, some will be problematic, and some will be awesome. I wasn't really trying to say that the new will supplant the old - the old is doing a bang up job of topping itself anyway - but i was trying to say that there are genuine reasons to be hopeful. you’re absolutely right, of course. No doubt some of these things will fail, some will be problematic, and some will be awesome. I wasn’t really trying to say that the new will supplant the old – the old is doing a bang up job of topping itself anyway – but i was trying to say that there are genuine reasons to be hopeful.

]]> By: TimT http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-178001 TimT Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:04:56 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-178001 <i>We’re to assume that serious stuff - politics and crime - occupies the minds of serious people, until they get to take a Christmas/New Year timeout.</i> That's an interesting thought, and reminds me of the 19th century distinction between 'improving literature' - eg, the books of sermons on the family bookshelf - and 'novelties' - eg, fiction, poetry, ballads, etc. Nowadays I would have thought that poetry and literature are given to the masses in doses and treated as 'improving', but I suppose that is belied by the tendency to refer to culture as 'entertainment'. My own preference is wholly for the Saturday papers (still buy them) and those magazines like The Spectator and the New Yorker that still have a decent mix of creative pieces, humour, entertainment, games, thoughtful articles, and essays. We’re to assume that serious stuff – politics and crime – occupies the minds of serious people, until they get to take a Christmas/New Year timeout.

That’s an interesting thought, and reminds me of the 19th century distinction between ‘improving literature’ – eg, the books of sermons on the family bookshelf – and ‘novelties’ – eg, fiction, poetry, ballads, etc. Nowadays I would have thought that poetry and literature are given to the masses in doses and treated as ‘improving’, but I suppose that is belied by the tendency to refer to culture as ‘entertainment’.

My own preference is wholly for the Saturday papers (still buy them) and those magazines like The Spectator and the New Yorker that still have a decent mix of creative pieces, humour, entertainment, games, thoughtful articles, and essays.

]]> By: Bilko http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-178000 Bilko Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:10:41 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-178000 Not long after the Federal election I commented on the state of the media reporting especially the Murdock press, where it was and still is all negative re the Rudd government, and that I went to the blogs first to get a better balanced opinion which is way out in both directions. One year on nothing has changed and the blogs seem to be getting more attention than the normal media rather confirming the reason for my original comment long live the blogs Not long after the Federal election I commented on the state of the media reporting especially the Murdock press, where it was and still is all negative re the Rudd government, and that I went to the blogs first to get a better balanced opinion which is way out in both directions. One year on nothing has changed and the blogs seem to be getting more attention than the normal media rather confirming the reason for my original comment long live the blogs

]]> By: Mark http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-177999 Mark Thu, 01 Jan 2009 12:33:17 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-177999 <blockquote>road (sic)</blockquote> Sorry about the typo - I'm tired, and when I'm tired, homonyms often end up being spelt the wrong way around.

road (sic)

Sorry about the typo – I’m tired, and when I’m tired, homonyms often end up being spelt the wrong way around.

]]> By: wpd http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-177998 wpd Thu, 01 Jan 2009 11:57:44 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-177998 "before the Goss boys road (sic) into town." In my experience the MSM and the Opposition, regardless of political colour, used FOI to trawl for info that could be presented as 'shock, horror'. Yes it was 'childish' but it nevertheless exposed public sector activity to unfair scrutiny and subsequent ridicule that was never applied to publicly funded private organisations. Schools and hospitals are but two examples. Accountability should not be a one-way street. Also, any serious FOI search was very, very expensive if it involved searches across any number of Departments and agencies across the State. “before the Goss boys road (sic) into town.”

In my experience the MSM and the Opposition, regardless of political colour, used FOI to trawl for info that could be presented as ‘shock, horror’. Yes it was ‘childish’ but it nevertheless exposed public sector activity to unfair scrutiny and subsequent ridicule that was never applied to publicly funded private organisations. Schools and hospitals are but two examples. Accountability should not be a one-way street.

Also, any serious FOI search was very, very expensive if it involved searches across any number of Departments and agencies across the State.

]]> By: Mark http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-177997 Mark Thu, 01 Jan 2009 11:41:04 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-177997 Anecdotal, I guess, but a buck a page for a transcript is certainly more than cost! Similarly, years ago, when I was 17 and worked in the Registrar-General's Office, the price of searches and full certificates was set with a view to making a profit off people doing family histories - and that was before the Goss boys rode into town. Anecdotal, I guess, but a buck a page for a transcript is certainly more than cost! Similarly, years ago, when I was 17 and worked in the Registrar-General’s Office, the price of searches and full certificates was set with a view to making a profit off people doing family histories – and that was before the Goss boys rode into town.

]]> By: wpd http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-177996 wpd Thu, 01 Jan 2009 11:27:25 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-177996 " is often treated by governments as a revenue raising project" Really? Not in my experience, which is (admittedly) somewhat dated. Any figures re supposed positive revenue? ” is often treated by governments as a revenue raising project”

Really? Not in my experience, which is (admittedly) somewhat dated.

Any figures re supposed positive revenue?

]]> By: professor rat http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-177995 professor rat Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:32:22 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2009/01/01/the-summer-of-australian-culture-new-matilda-and-new-media-style/#comment-177995 Putting on my political-economists hat I notice micro-loans appear to work better with women rather than men. So maybe only women should get to vote for a while? Men could make themselves useful getting rid of all known fascists - most of them are men btw - and tidying up outside. Putting on my political-economists hat I notice micro-loans appear to work better with women rather than men. So maybe only women should get to vote for a while?

Men could make themselves useful getting rid of all known fascists – most of them are men btw – and tidying up outside.

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